Recognition is a complex topic with several levels, target groups, target issues, and stakeholders. You may want to convince your local authorities of the value of youth work, you may be interested in having your year of voluntary work accepted as a relevant learning experience in your university. You may wish that the young people you work with would have the opportunity to realize the learning value of the project that they’ve been involved in, and be able to describe their experiences and competences when they apply for future employment. Or you may simply be seeking appreciation for the quality of your work in the field.

Do you think youth work is not recognized enough? Do you think non-formal education/learning could be appreciated more?

Young people develop skills outside formal education (e.g. through youth work experience, volunteering or sport). If such skills are not validated – documented, assessed and certified by an authority – they risk to be wasted.

This module will be helping you find your own special way of dealing with recognition. It provides hands-on tools for establishing strategies for better recognition of the work you and your colleagues do. It will support you in making your contributions in the youth field more visible, better understood and more greatly appreciated.

Using English as a common language in the international youth work context often leads to a false, (or at least a far too easy), belief that by using the same words we speak about the same thing. Indeed, we all agree that youth work and non-formal education/learning deserve better recognition, but what do we mean by recognition in our local context(s) and language(s)?

Before we move on, share in the comments: How do you say ‘recognition’ in your own language?